May 12, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Joc Pederson (3) hits a home run during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored seven runs while the Arizona Diamondbacks scored four runs.
The roof was open allowing for a breath of fresh air at The Shed tonight. One night after going nine innings without a run, the Rangers scored one batter into tonight’s game when surprise leadoff hitter Joc Pederson took Zac Gallen deep for his third dong of the year.
After the Diamondbacks tied the game in the top of the second, the Rangers immediately retook the lead in the bottom of the inning via a Jake Burger RBI single. Two innings after that, they scored another run on an Ezequiel Duran solo home run. In the fifth, the Rangers finally produced a crooked number with four more runs crossing the plate and before you knew it, it was 7-1 and the Rangers were on their way to evening this series.
With a rare banquet of runs as a buffer, tonight’s starter MacKenzie Gore was able to work effectively and efficiently after a handful of less-than-stellar outings over the last month or so. Tonight, with the bullpen taxed from having to pitch the whole game last evening, Gore went eight innings for his longest outing with Texas as the lefty allowed just one run on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts in his 95 pitches.
The only negatives on the night were Brandon Nimmo getting replaced in the top of the seventh a half inning after twisting his ankle beating out an infield single and Gavin Collyer finally earning himself a big league ERA by walking the bases loaded in the ninth to force Jacob Latz to come in and clean up.
Otherwise, the Rangers cruised to their 20th win of the season with the wind blowing in their hair.
Player of the Game: The Rangers had Burger sit for a few games over the weekend after a rough season thus far and though he didn’t do much in his return to the lineup last night, tonight Burger went 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs batting in the No. 8 spot.
Up Next: The Rangers and Diamondbacks close out this series with a rubber match featuring RHP Kumar Rocker for Texas opposite RHP Ryne Nelson for Arizona.
The Wednesday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
The 21-year-old did a little bit of everything, as he reached base four times, drew three walks, scored twice, drove in a pair of runs, picked up his first hit — a triple — and stole a base.
His lone out of the night came on a 102 mph laser to the warning track in center.
“I think that’s part of my identity as a hitter: I’m patient and make pitchers work hard,’’ Ewing said of his ability to work counts consistently.
The Mets will take all of it.
“There’s gonna be playing time for him,’’ Carlos Mendoza said before the game of Ewing, who spent just 12 games with Triple-A Syracuse before his promotion.
A.J. Ewing rips an RBI triple during the seventh inning of the Mets’ 10-2 blowout win over the Tigers on May 12, 2026 at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for NY PostFreddy Peralta celebrates after getting out of the sixth inning in the Mets’ blowout win over the Tigers. Robert Sabo for NY Post
By the end of the night, the small crowd remaining was chanting his name.
“I’m confident in my ability to play,’’ Ewing said beforehand. “I’ll play the same game I’ve been playing.”
His arrival was a boost for a team running out of time to show it’s capable of turning around the season.
As Mendoza noted, “It’s not early anymore. We’ve got to go out there and do it.”
After dropping three of the last four games on their recent road trip, the Mets got some life from what’s been a dead lineup, as well as a fourth straight solid start from Freddy Peralta.
The right-hander allowed just a pair of runs in six innings against Detroit, which has lost six of seven.
It was just the second time in the past 12 games they scored more than five runs.
A.J. Ewing is all smiles and celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the seventh inning of the Mets’ win over the Tigers. Robert Sabo for NY PostNew York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) gets doused after his debut. Robert Sabo for NY Post
After Peralta and the Mets fell behind in the second, they came back and went ahead in the fourth and took advantage of plenty of mistakes by the Tigers to improve to 16-25.
Even in victory, though, the Mets found trouble, as Francisco Alvarez left the game with a right knee injury.
It was Alvarez who started the go-ahead rally with a one-out double to left-center in the fourth. He came in when Benge followed with a hit to left to make it 3-2.
The Mets had fallen behind in the top of the second, as Dillon Dingler took Peralta deep to open the inning. Wenceel Pérez followed with a single and moved to third on a double by Gage Workman before Spencer Torkelson’s sacrifice fly.
But Jack Flaherty, who’d allowed 16 earned runs in just 14 innings over his previous four starts, couldn’t hold the lead for Detroit.
Francisco Alvarez walks back to the dugout after tagging out Colt Keith at the plate to end the fifth inning in the Mets’ win over the Tigers. Robert Sabo for New York Post
In the bottom of the inning, after Ewing walked to load the bases in his first plate appearance in the majors, Alvarez just beat out a throw to first to avoid an inning-ending double play, which allowed Melendez to score.
They tied the score in the bottom of the third with three straight singles by Bo Bichette, Juan Soto and Mark Vientos.
The Mets stayed ahead in bizarre fashion in the fifth.
After Colt Keith singled with two outs, Riley Greene followed with a base hit to right.
Benge’s throw got by Brett Baty at third and ricocheted off the railing in front of the Tigers dugout, where Peralta picked it up and fired home.
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He continued home and was tagged out by Alvarez.
The Mets got some insurance in the sixth, courtesy of more shoddy play by the Tigers around third base, as Workman’s throwing error led to a pair of runs, and the Mets put the game away late.
With the Mets looking to put the first 40 games of the season behind them, perhaps Ewing can help revive the season.
“He was pretty much perfect at the plate,’’ Mendoza said.
And the manager added: “We’re gonna need him and everyone in that room.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 12: Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins receives an ice bath celebration after pitching a complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins at Target Field on May 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Marlins 3-0. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don’t even know what to say about this game. We just witnessed Bailey Ober, 88 MPH fastball and all, toss an 89 pitch complete game shutout. He did it using mostly changeups and fastballs, picking up 4 strikeouts and a 43% whiff percentage with the changeup. The only blemishes on his day were singles to Jakob Marsee in the 2nd, and Kyle Stowers in the 4th. Ober retired the final 16 batters of the game after the Stowers single. In conclusion, he spun the ball real good and got a Maddux (a complete game shutout with fewer than 100 pitches). The last Twin to throw a Maddux was Ervin Santana in 2017. The last time a Twin threw a Maddux with fewer than 90 pitches was Bill Krueger in 1992.
On the other side, Eury Perez for the Marlins was in the middle of a no-hitter through 5 and 2/3 innings. Then, after walking Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach singled and Buxton moved to 3rd. With Ryan Jeffers batting, Larnach broke for 2nd, the catcher tried to throw him out, but that allowed Buxton to steal home and Larnach to steal 2nd. It was a cool play, but the Marlins probably shouldn’t have thrown to 2nd. Ryan Jeffers followed that up by launching a homer to the 2nd deck in left field to make it a 3-0 game. That seems like an easier way to score runs.
With that, the Twins have now won 3 in a row for the first time since the Boston series back on April 14th, and move to 19-23 on the season. Tomorrow we will see Simeon Woods Richardson take on Minnesota native and former Golden Gopher Max Meyer.
OG Anunoby’s absence due to a right hamstring strain in Games 3 and 4 of the second round meant Miles McBride moved to the starting lineup, opening up his minutes for someone off the bench. After being buried in the rotation, Landry Shamet was the beneficiary.
He played 37 minutes between the two games and scored 27 points.
Landry Shamet slams home a dunk past Tyrese Maxey during the Knicks’ Game 3 win over the 76ers. AP
“Landry hadn’t played a drop all playoffs,” coach Mike Brown said. “I think the first game [of the first round], he was in the rotation and then the second game a little bit, then he was out. That’s six, seven games that he hadn’t seen significant minutes on the court. … He was huge on both ends of the floor.”
With Anunoby expected to return for Game 1 of the conference finals, it is likely those minutes will again disappear.
McBride will move back to his bench role. He, Mitchell Robinson, Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado have consistently been Brown’s primary bench pieces. Shamet was originally above Alvarado in the pecking order, but Brown flipped that because he wanted to have a more natural point guard on the floor when Brunson is on the bench.
It is unlikely that Brown will expand to a 10-man rotation to include Shamet.
Brown has proven that he is not afraid to shake up his rotation at any given moment. With everyone healthy, it’s hard to see how Shamet finds his way on the court.
Mark Cuban, the Mavericks owner when Jalen Brunson began his career with the franchise, was critical of one of Brunson’s recent endorsement deals.
“Time to tell your agent to get you deals with the good guys,” Cuban posted to X while tagging Brunson. “CAA did you wrong.”
Cuban included a link to Brunson’s advertisement with Evernorth Health Services. Cuban notably owns Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, which offers low-cost generic drugs and attempts to disrupt major pharmaceutical companies.
Karl-Anthony Towns, an avid card collector, revealed that he was outbid for a one-of-one Randy Orton WrestleMania 41 patch autograph. The winning bid came in at $42,100 on eBay.
“This has us SICK,” Towns wrote on his Instagram account “bigbodegascards,” which is dedicated to his card collecting. “Thought it was ours for the taking, until a last-minute NUCLEAR bid snuck in! Who has this card now!? We have to know!”
James and the Lakers were eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs in the Western conference semifinals by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, four games to none. Immediately following the game, James provided some insight to reporters regarding the decision on his next chapter.
The short answer: nobody knows, not even James himself.
"I don't know. It's obviously still fresh from losing, you know, I don't know. I mean, I don't know what the future holds for me," James said on May 11 after the Lakers were swept by the Thunder. "Obviously, as it stands right now, tonight, I got a lot of time. I'll sit back, like I think I said last year, after we lost, I think to Minnesota there, go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them, and then when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do."
James is a four-time NBA champion and Finals MVP who has broken a number of NBA records — most seasons played (23), most games played (1,622), most career points scored in the regular season (43,440) and playoffs (8,521), most All-Star appearances (22), among many others.
His longest consecutive stint with one team has come with the Lakers, having finished his eighth season in Los Angeles. He arrived in LA as a free agent in 2018. His goal was to bring the Lakers back to relevancy, he told reporters.
Since James became a Laker, they have been among the league's better teams, winning an NBA championship in 2020 with another conference finals appearance in 2023. They've made the playoffs in all but two seasons.
During the 2025-26 season, James took on a role he's never played in his life: the third option behind the Lakers' backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
James proved that he could be dominant in any position he was placed in. He still averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in 60 games, while shooting 51.5% from the field.
James still had his moments to be the No. 1 option, none more than when both Reaves and Doncic went down with late-season injuries. James led the Lakers to a first-round upset against the Houston Rockets in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Looking back at the ups and downs of the 2026 season, James said he will take time to decide what's best for his future. One of the contingencies is whether he still is in love with the preparation process and the steps it takes for him to perform at a high level of sustained greatness.
"I don't know. I think for me, it's about the process," James told reporters after their playoff elimination. "If I can commit to still being in love with the process, of showing (up) to the arena 5½ hours before a game to start preparing for a game. You know, giving everything I got, diving for loose balls, and, you know, doing everything that it takes to go out and play."
He added: "Showing up to practice, 11:00 practice. I'm here at 8:00, preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in. So I think for me, I've always been in love with the process, and not the aftermath of, like, we won that game, or won a championship. Like, I've always enjoyed the process and not more than outcome, so then that will be a big factor."
One of the things impacting James' future plans is his family. James called them a "big factor."
"I'll then also, you know, have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, you know, that's a big factor," James said. "And my 19-year-old son is entering his second year at Arizona, you know? And my wife as well, they're (a) huge factor in any decision I've made. So they'll be a big part of it as well."
Defenseman Brayden McNabb was tossed from the May 12 game, 9 minutes into the first period, when he was slapped with a 5-minute major and game misconduct for a hit that left the Ducks' Ryan Poehling seemingly in a daze.
McNabb, who has been on the Golden Knights since their inaugural 2017-18 season, was called for interference after he slammed Poehling into the boards shortly after the puck had exited his vicinity. Poehling struggled to get up, eventually rolling onto his back as he was attended to by a trainer. He eventually got to his feet and skated off the ice with considerable assistance from defensemen John Carlson and Jacob Trouba.
Ryan Poehling needed assistance getting off the ice after a big hit from Brayden McNabb. pic.twitter.com/Sn9d3ql2HQ
The Ducks will be without Poehling for the rest of the game. He's been ruled out with an "upper-body injury." The Golden Knights will have to play the rest of Game 5 with five defensemen.
Beckett Sennecke scored during the 5-minute power play to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.
Brayden McNabb has been assessed a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Ryan Poehling 😬
Poehling needed assistance getting off the ice and has gone to the locker room 🤕 pic.twitter.com/hhHsqZlpzB
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 12: A.J. Ewing #9 of the New York Mets celebrates with teammates in the dugout after crossing home plate in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field on May 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets returned home after their west coast road trip to face the Tigers. Freddy Peralta was taking the mound for the Mets, looking to try and get back on the right foot after losing the final two games (and the series) against the Diamondbacks. Jack Flaherty was starting for the Tigers, struggling so far in 2026 with an ERA north of 5.50 and just 34 innings pitched across eight starts. And it was a very special day for Mets top prospect A.J. Ewing, who was getting his first start as a major leaguer, playing in center field and batting eighth.
The first inning was quiet for both sides, with each team having one base runner and both teams stranding that runner. Dillon Dingler hit a solo home run to lead off the second inning for the Tigers, putting the first run of the game on the board. A single and a double put runners on second and third with no outs, and Spencer Torkelson hit a sacrifice to score the Tigers’ second run of the game. Peralta was able to work his way out of the jam to stop the scoring there. In the bottom of the inning the Mets immediately threatened to come back, loading the bases with only one out. Francisco Alvarez drove in the Mets first run on a force out, but that was all the Mets could do in the inning.
In the bottom of the third Mark Vientos hit an RBI single to drive in Bo Bichette and tie the game, and in the bottom of the fourth Carson Benge hit an RBI single to drive in Alvarez and take the lead. The Mets were able to drive Flaherty from the game with two outs in the fourth after he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks.
In the bottom of the sixth, facing Burch Smith, the Mets loaded the bases with one out. In the midst of it, Alvarez hurt himself while at bat and had to be removed from the game, with Luis Torrens coming in to replace him. Bo Bichette came up and hit what should’ve been an inning ending double play. But when Gage Workman threw the ball into right field instead of to second base, two runs scored to give the Mets a three run lead with still just one out. Smith was then pulled in favor of Emmanuel De Jesus. Juan Soto hit a dribbler back to Torkelson at first whose only play was to get the out at first allowing Benge to score as the Mets third and final run of the inning before De Jesus finally got out of it.
Brooks Raley came in to relieve Freddy Peralta, who recorded a quality start giving up just two runs in six innings, with seven strikeouts and just one walk. Raley dealt with a little trouble, ending up with runners on second and third with just one out. But he got through it without allowing a run to score and keeping the Mets lead intact. In the bottom of the seventh, De Jesus was still in the game, and he had given up a single to Brett Baty bookended by outs to put him one out away from a clean inning. But A.J. Ewing, who had already walked twice and gotten his first stolen base earlier in the game, got his first major league hit (and RBI) and made it count, hitting a triple that drove in Baty. Ricky Vanasco came in to try and get the Tigers out of it without any further damage. Luis Torrens hit an RBI single to drive in Ewing as the Mets’ eighth run of the game, but that was the end of the Mets seventh inning outburst.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Mets continued to pile on. Two singles led to runners on the corners with just one out. Austin Slater (who was brought in to pinch hit for MJ Melendez earlier in the game) hit a dribbler up the first base line, and Vanasco fielded the ball but lost it on the transfer to his hand, allowing Slater to reach safely and Soto to score. An infield single for Semien loaded the bases, and Ewing walked to drive in yet another run for the Mets, his third walk and second RBI of the game. That drove Vanasco from the game in favor of Jake Rogers, a position player taking the mound. He was able to get the final out of the inning and get the Tigers up for their last chance, with eight runs distancing them from just coming even with the Mets.
Austin Warren pitched both the eighth and ninth innings, and he went scoreless in both, delivering the Mets the first win of the homestand and helping to keep the rest of the bullpen rested. They started the homestand off on the right foot and saw a burgeoning young star potentially emerge in A.J. Ewing’s first major league game. Next, they have to face Framber Valdez behind Christian Scott, who’s looking to build on his last performance and put his shaky first start behind him.
Big Mets winner: Bo Bichette, +15% WPA Big Mets loser: Marcus Semien, -14% WPA Mets pitchers: +16% WPA Mets hitters: +34% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Juan Soto’s third inning single, +11.4% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Dillon Dingler’s second inning home run, -11% WPA
MONTREAL, CANADA- MAY 12: Zach Benson #6 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of Game Four of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on May 12, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Matt Garies/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
MONTREAL — Zach Benson broke a tie on a third-period power play on his 21st birthday and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Tuesday night in Game 4 to even the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Benson took a pass in the slot from Josh Doan, kicked the puck to his stick and put a backhander past goalie Jakub Dobes at 4:41 of the third. The goal came with Jake Evans off for holding Peyton Krebs.
Game 5 is Thursday night in Buffalo, with Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday night. The series winner will face Carolina in the Eastern Conference final. The Hurricanes swept both of their series.
Tage Thompson tied it for Buffalo in the second period with a fluke goal and also had an assist. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring and Doan had two assists.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon in goal after the Sabres dropped Games 2 and 3, making 28 saves in his first action since being pulled in the third period of a Game 2 loss to Boston in the first round.
Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal. Dobes stopped 19 shots.
Thompson tied it at 2 on four-minute power play seven minutes into the second when his dump-in from just over center ice deflected off the glass in the left corner to the crease and bounced in off Dobes’ right leg. Montreal’s Alexandre Carrier was called for the double minor after high-sticking and cutting Rasmus Dahlin.
The Canadiens failed to take advantage of a four-minute power play of their own after Bowen Byram was sent off for high-sticking Alexandre Texier late in the second period. Montreal was 1 for 7 on the power play.
Buffalo opened the scoring on Samuelsson’s goal at 6:32 of the first period, and appeared it make it 2-0 1:30 later when a video review confirmed Jack Quinn’s shot crossed the goal line inside Dobes’ glove, However, Montreal successfully challenged for goalie interference on Konsta Helenius.
Newhook then tied it at 1 with 9:52 left in the first with his fifth goal of the series and sixth of the playoffs. Caufield gave the Canadiens the lead with 13 seconds to go in the period, beating Luukkonen from close range on a power play.
Mets prospect A.J. Ewing showed off his blazing speed when he belted an RBI triple in the seventh inning of his major league debut on Tuesday night in Citi Field.
But it was the reaction of his joyous family that stole the show. His dad, Joe, and his other family members were pumping fists, high-fiving and going crazy after Ewing’s big hit in a Mets 10-2 win.
In the second inning, Joe talked to SNY’s Steve Gelbs after the rookie worked the first of his three walks, saying he was built for this moment.
But Joe admitted he was a “nervous wreck watching him.”
Joe, who said he was a high school pitcher who couldn’t hit, did say he was the one who started his son on the path to becoming a left-handed hitter at 3 years old.
Joe, who had six messages on his phone before finding out, was surprised his 21-year-old son was called up so soon.
“He’s definitely grown as a player,” Joe said. “I think when he first realized, ‘Hey, I have a shot to be a major league player,’ he went after that dream really, really hard.”
New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) triples during the seventh inning when the New York Mets played the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY PostNew York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) triples during the seventh inning when the New York Mets played the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Joe said others saw more of his son’s potential than he originally did.
“I knew he was good baseball player, but I knew how hard it was to get to this level,” Joe said. “I think being his Dad, I … didn’t think he was as good as he really was, maybe.
“The first time I was having a conversation with an agent talking to me about my son, I remember I looked at him and said, ‘You think my kid is going to get drafted?’
“He stopped and he paused as calm as can be and said, ‘I know you’re kid is going to get drafted.’
“I said, ‘What!’ Then it kind of hit me, ‘Alright, here we go.’ ”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 8: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches at Oracle Park on May 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. There are still a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you how big a role did you think Ryan Rolison would play on the 2026 Cubs. You’re mostly optimistic as 58 percent of you think he’ll be in the Cubs bullpen all (or almost all) season. Another 39 percent think he’ll be shuttling back and forth between Iowa and Chicago.
On Tuesdays I don’t do any movie stuff, but I’m sure I can find the time for some music for us.
Bless the great Ron Carter. The legendary bassist has a new album coming out next month at the age of 89. It’s called Duets, a collaboration with guitarist Yotam Silberstein.
This is a cut from the upcoming album entitled “Blues for Brother Malone,” a tribute to jazz guitarist Russell Malone who died in 2024 at the too-young age of 60. Malone was a friend to both Carter and Silberstein.
Welcome back to those of you who skip the music.
It’s no secret to anyone that the Cubs are searching for starting pitching after the injuries to Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd as well as the setbacks in the recovery of Justin Steele. I suspect that it will be a major topic of conversation around here until the end of July.
The one name that has been closely connected to the Cubs is Freddy Peralta, and we’ve already covered him here. Peralta played for manager Craig Counsell for six seasons in Milwaukee, so there is familiarity there. Peralta has made noise about wanting to stay in New York, but the Mets terrible start to the season and his upcoming free agency means that decision is likely out of his hands.
Still, there are other starting pitching options on the trade market for the Cubs to pursue. Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma list ten of them in The Athletic (sub. req) and I want to examine two in particular that I want to consider tonight. The first is Peralta’s Mets teammate Clay Holmes and the other one is San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray.
Both Holmes and Ray are free agents at the end of 2026, so both of them would be pure rentals. Ray, according to Mooney and Sharma, is someone the Cubs have wanted for years and it’s not hard to understand why. The left-handers’ biggest weapon is his hard slider, which is his primary out-pitch. But his 93-94 mile per hour fastball also has good movement and in recent years he’s added a changeup, which is a real weapon against right-handed hitters.
Ray won the American League Cy Young in 2021 and while he’s suffered through injuries since then, he’s been healthy this year and last. Ray was an All-Star last season and he’s been just as good this year. With the Giants, he’s posted a 2.76 ERA and has struck out 47 batters in 42.1 innings. He is a bit of a flyball pitcher and he has benefitted from how hard it is to hit a home run at Oracle Park the past few seasons. But we should note that Wrigley Field has played as a pitchers park the past few seasons, even if most of us are conditioned to think of it as a home-run hitters paradise.
Holmes is a different type of pitcher without the same kind of track record as Ray (although he is a two-time All-Star from his time with the Yankees), but he’s arguably been the better pitcher this year. Holmes had made eight starts so far this year and has a 1.86 ERA over 48.1 innings. The right-handed Holmes almost never throws a traditional four-seam fastball, instead relying on a sinker/slider/change repertoire that induces a ton of ground balls. Holmes strikes out a lot fewer batters than Ray with a 19.3 percent strikeout rate as compared to Ray’s 26.3. But he also walks fewer (8.3 percent to 10) and boy, does he get the ground balls. His groundball rate is 57.2 percent, which is actually down from his career averages. Holmes seems like the kind of pitcher that you want in front of the Cubs stellar infield defense.
Now there’s no guarantee that either pitcher will be available in trade. The Mets have said they’re going to wait until June to see if they can snap out of their disappointing season before they decide whether or not they want to sell. The Giants are already making moves, sending catcher Patrick Bailey to the Guardians, but that was likely more a way of getting the black hole of Bailey’s bat out of the Giants offensively-challenged lineup than it was the start of a fire sale.
Still, I strongly suspect that both the Giants and the Mets will be selling by the time trade season comes along. I have no idea how much either one will cost in terms of prospects, but I suspect that it will be roughly even. So whom the Cubs get might be dependent on whether the Giants or the Mets like the Cubs farm system more. And of course, there will be other pitchers available as well.
But if the Cubs were offered either Ray or Holmes for the same package, which one would you take? Which player would be the better “get” for the rest of the season? Which one would make you happier?
Thank you so very much for stopping by. We hope we made your night a little better. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
Collins died Tuesday at 47 after a fight with Stage 4 glioblastoma. The late NBA center played eight years with the Nets and overlapped for seven years together as players before Kidd coached Collins for one season in 2013-14.
Kidd, a 10-time All-Star as a player and now the head coach of the Mavericks, spoke fondly of Collins after the news of his passing became public.
Nets head coach talks with Jason Collins during a game against the Kings at Barclays Center on March 9, 2014. Getty Images
“This one hurts. Jason Collins was a pioneer,” Kidd wrote on X, adding a broken heart emoji in his message. “He had courage like you’ve never seen. He was an incredible teammate. And having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much. Those who knew him were blessed to call him a friend. You are already missed my brother. Rest in power.”
Collins, in a 2013 essay in Sports Illustrated, came out, becoming the first active gay player in the NBA. He returned to the Nets for one more season, playing 2013-14 in Brooklyn.
The Nets, in their own statement, lauded Collins’ importance to the history of the organization and the sport at large.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Jason Collins. Jason spent eight seasons in a Nets uniform, helping define an era of our franchise and playing a vital role on our back-to-back Eastern Conference championship teams in 2002 and 2003,” the team wrote. “He was a constant in our locker room — selfless, tough, and deeply respected by teammates, coaches, and staff alike. Those who were around Jason every day knew him not just as a competitor, but as a genuinely kind, thoughtful person who brought people together. His impact extended far beyond the court, and his courage and authenticity helped move the game — and the world — forward.”
Jason Kidd and Jason Collins guard Tim Duncan during a Nov. 12, 2003 at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. Getty Images
Collins, who played for two Nets teams that reached the NBA Finals, averaged 3.6 points on a 41.1 percent shooting clip with 3.7 rebounds per game.
But as the NBA Players Association said Tuesday, his impact was far greater than his output on the court.
“The NBPA is proud to call Jason one of our own,” the players union said. “Today, we mourn a devastating loss while celebrating a trailblazer whose legacy of bravery and inclusion will resonate for generations.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 01: Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Buffalo Sabres in Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 01, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NHL announced on Tuesday evening that Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will be suspended for the first six games of next season, the result of a slash on Buffalo’s Zach Benson in Game 6 of the Bruins-Sabres series.
McAvoy was given a major and a game misconduct on the play in real time, with that play occurring with less than 90 seconds left in the Bruins’ season-ending loss.
From the NHL:
(I didn’t know the league still made these “look, here’s how we reached this conclusion” explainer videos, but they’re as weird as they’ve ever been.)
Regardless of the colors you support, there’s really no way you can argue that McAvoy didn’t deserve some kind of supplemental discipline, as you simply can’t swing your stick at an opponent like that.
Sure, Benson deserved something for slew footing McAvoy prior to the incident, but you can’t retaliate by chopping down with your stick.
The sticking point from a Bruins perspective will be that the length of the suspension seems completely arbitrary, in keeping with NHL tradition.
Consider, for example, this play by Alex Pietrangelo:
That play came with an identical scoreline and pretty much the same amount of time left on the clock, and Pietrangelo was suspended for one playoff game.
I guess you could argue that at the NHL Currency Exchange, one playoff game = six regular season games, but who knows?
It’s a fool’s errand to try to get inside George Parros & Co’s collective brain and understand how they arrive at whatever conclusion, and it also feels a little silly to complain about the length of the suspension when it’s obvious McAvoy needed to get something.
Regardless, McAvoy will now miss around 7% of next season for the B’s.
McAvoy had been suspended twice prior to this incident, both times for checks to the head (one against Josh Anderson, then with the Blue Jackets, in the 2019 playoffs and one against Oliver Ekman-Larsson, then with the Panthers, during the 2023-2024 regular season).
There was already going to be plenty of juice in the first Bruins-Sabres match-up of next season, so this will only add fuel to the fire.
If nothing else, at least this news ties up the last remaining loose end from this past season for the Bruins.
Plus, now McAvoy has some extra time to get all of his dental work done. There’s always a bright side, right?
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 12: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals high-fives third base coach Victor Estevez as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 12, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a couple tough losses in Miami, the Nats responded in a big way tonight. They overpowered the Reds in a 10-2 win where they homered 6 times. Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile both had multi-homer games in the blow out. The bullpen also did great work tonight, eating 5.2 innings in this one.
The Nats still made plenty of defensive mistakes, including 2 errors and a catcher’s interference. However, the offense was too good for that to matter. After not scoring in the first two innings, the Nats put a world of hurt on the Reds pitching staff.
James Wood started the scoring in the third with a homer. It was a classic James Wood home run, sailing majestically to the opposite field. Luis Garcia Jr. made it back to back jacks with a pull side bomb of his own. Garcia is red hot right now, and he is starting to hit for power. He only had one home run on the season entering this game, but he hit two tonight.
In the top of the 4th, Daylen Lile homered to make it a 3-0 game. However, Miles Mikolas would get into a sketchy situation in the 4th. He was on the ropes after allowing two singles and a walk to start the inning. With the bases loaded, Mikolas traded a run for an out on a ground ball. However, after walking another batter, his night was over after just 3.1 innings.
Brad Lord would come in to replace him, and the long reliever performed very well. His evening got off to a rough start, but it was not his fault. Lord got a much needed ground ball, but Brady House booted it. House has had a really rough season defensively at the hot corner. Heading into the year, his defense was seen as a strength, but it has been anything but that to start 2026. However, Lord would rebound quickly and get a double play ball to end the inning.
After that mess, the Nats knew they needed more runs. Luis Garcia Jr. would start the inning with his second homer of the night. A couple more batters would reach, and then Daylen Lile would come to the plate with 2 on and 1 out. Lile is from Louisville, which is right nearby, so his family was in attendance.
The Lile family saw their boy have his first career multi-homer game. Lile absolutely torched a 98 MPH sinker out of Great American Ball Park. It was a no doubt shot and his family went absolutely crazy in the stands. This was an amazing moment for the Lile family, and it also made the lead 7-2.
With the lead in a comfortable spot, Brad Lord went into cruise control. The right-hander gave the Nats 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Lord is such a valuable piece to this bullpen, and sometimes I think he may even be under-utilized.
The Nats were not done with their home run parade though. In the late innings, Brady House made up for his error and put a cherry on top of a blow out win. While he has a tough time hitting fastballs, House does not miss hanging breaking balls. Tony Santillan hung a breaking ball and House banged it out of the ball park.
This was one of the Nats bigger wins of the season. The offense, which is second in baseball in runs, flexed their muscles tonight. While Wood and Abrams both had good games, it was contributors from down the lineup that provided the biggest blows. Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile are starting to really heat up, and that makes the Nats lineup very dangerous.
If the Nats can get big time production from Lile and Garcia, this could be a truly deep lineup. It has been crazy to see what this offense has been able to do this year. We are deep enough into the season to say that this offense is no fluke. They are a fun and frisky unit. The pitching and defense needs work, but the Nats are really starting to build a foundation here.
May 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) slaps hands with first base coach Gilbert Gomez (65) after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
After limping out of Kansas City bruised and full of more question-marks than The Riddler, the Tigers went to New York City to face the Mets, who have been terrible so far. Well, the questions kept coming as fast as the Mets scored runs in this one, with the New Yorkers besting the Detroiters by a 10-2 score.
Opening the series on the mound for the visitors was Jack Flaherty, who had a better start in his last outing, against the Red Sox: he gave up four runs, sure, and he slipped a bit in an inning that was threatening to get completely out of control, but when he was on, he was absolutely locked-in. He struck out the first five and the last four batters he faced, which has got to be some sort of first. In a rotation full of chaos, the Tigers absolutely need Flaherty to give them solid innings. Sadly, tonight, he didn’t give too many.
Freddy Peralta faced Flaherty in Flushing; the righty is in his ninth year in the major leagues, and his first with the Mets after spending eight years in Milwaukee. He’s dependable: he’ll keep extra-base hits down (especially home runs), he’ll give you six solid innings, and while his strikeout rate is down a bit this season, it’s still about one per inning. His final three years with the Brewers were a really nice run: a 3.40 ERA, WHIP of 1.136, and 10.7 K/9 innings, making thirty or more starts each of those years.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the second with a Dillon Dingler dinger.
The Tigers kept the party going: Wenceel Pérez singled, Gage Workman doubled, and Spencer Torkelson hit a fly ball deep enough to plate Pérez for a 2-0 lead. With two outs Kevin McGonigle walked to put two runners back on base, but Matt Vierling flew out to end the inning and this party was about to have someone put something awful in the punch bowl.
The bottom of the second saw Flaherty get into trouble… and this is the kind of situation that has had the potential to spin out of control for him: a leadoff walk and a single, and some big misses of the strike zone against Marcus Semien. Semien harmlessly lined-out, but A.J. Ewing walked in his first-ever major-league plate appearance to load the bases with one out. A sharp grounder to shortstop saw the Tigers try to turn a double play, and despite a fantastic turn at second base by Zach McKinstry, the throw to first wasn’t in time and a run came in to score. A harmless fly ball to shallow centre limited the damage, but it was clear that Flaherty was nowhere near as dialed-in as he was in his previous start.
The trouble followed Flaherty and his shaky fastball into the third, with a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. Another single plated the tying run, and after a pair of hard-hit outfield outs, a wild pitch pushed Juan Soto up a base to put runners on the corners. But a Semien grounder to shortstop saw McGonigle make a nice play and throw for the third out.
Again, in the bottom of the fourth, traffic on the basepaths produced a run: a one-out double-single combination pushed the Mets ahead 3-2. He stuck around to strike out Bo Bichette, and departed in favour of Tyler Holton to face the lefty Soto. Holton did the job, getting Soto to not-quite check his swing at a low-and-away sweeper for strike three. Thus, Flaherty’s final line: 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K. That’s… not great.
You know what else wasn’t great? Colt Keith on the basepaths in the top of the fifth. He singled with two out, and he went first-to-third on a Riley Greene single to right-fielder Carson Benge. Benge’s throw skipped a bit past the third baseman; Keith took off for home, forgetting that Peralta was (quite correctly) backing-up third base, but he also managed to run into the third base umpire inexplicably standing on the base path, which also didn’t help. Keith had to show the ump out of the way just to get up to speed and probably should’ve shut it down at that point. He was easily cut down trying to score.
Shoot, it looks like Keith also took a pretty good forearm to the left side of his jaw, too.
Holton carried on and had a 1-2-3 fifth; Burch Smith took over in the sixth and struck out Semien, but walked the next two batters and an infield single loaded the bases. A ground ball found Workman at third; he threw to second to start what probably would’ve been an inning-ending double play, but he rushed it with the baserunner right in his throwing lane and sailed the throw 20 feet wide of second base and into right field, two runs scored, and Smith departed a 5-2 game. That was really the play that put the game ultimately out of reach for the Tigers. Enmanuel De Jesus took over, a grounder to first got another out but allowed another run to score; a sharp liner to Vierling in centre ended the inning with the Tigers in a 6-2 hole.
They started the seventh against a new pitcher, Brooks Raley, and suddenly showed signs of life: with one out Hao-Yu Lee singled, and McGonigle followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Alas, a popup to second base and a strikeout ended the inning with those two runners staying right where they were.
In the bottom of the seventh the Mets tacked-on: with two out and a runner on first, Ewing — who’d already walked twice in his debut — tripled to the right-field corner as Wenceel Pérez fumbled the ball against the wall to make it 7-2 and chase De Jesus. Ricky Vanasco was brought in to stop any further damage, which he did not, as he surrendered a single, scoring Ewing for an 8-2 tally.
They scored even more runs in the eighth in ways I’d rather not describe, with an error from Vanasco contributing to the disastrous defensive work on the night. At least Jake Rogers got to pitch in this one, getting the final out in the bottom of the eighth. He touched a cool 80 mph on his fastball, but sadly we didn’t get to see his sterling knuckleball.
In the second inning, Kevin McGonigle walked. That was his 24th walk in the year, against 21 strikeouts. That is an impressive stat, and doubly so for a rookie. I can’t wait to see what he’s capable of in the years to come.
Colt Keith came into tonight’s game with a .304 batting average. If you’re not into some more advanced stats, though, here’s how they can be useful: his Batting Average on Balls in Play (BAbip) is .386. A normal value of that these days is around .285, which means he’s getting lucky. He’s also not getting too many extra-base hits, which isn’t great, but his hard-hit percentage is 46.0% (average is 40.0%), which is good.
Towards the end of this miserable contest, on the radio broadcast Dan Dickerson read off the standard “without written consent” blurb, which I have always found puzzling. (Isn’t this an “account or description” of such a game?) Anyway, Dickerson mused that, if you wanted to get written consent from MLB to do whatever it is people do that need this legal disclaimer, you’d be better off picking a game other than this one.
